SlayerNet
by beenieweenie
Summary: Spoilers upto and including Chosen. Dawn and Willow create a website where slayers can find information and contact each other easily and quickly. This is SlayerNet! Reformatted, Please R&R.
1. Launching SlayerNet

Disclaimer:  BtVS belongs to Joss and Mutant Enemy.  That includes all the characters and places.  SlayerNet belongs to me.  I think it's quite clever personally.

Author's note:  Like so many of today's stories this one takes place after the end of season seven.  That means that it could contain spoilers from anywhere in season seven.  If you haven't seen everything up through Chosen by now I don't even want to know what cave you've been living in.  Just be warned of the spoilers.  Also I made up SlayerNet and it doesn't really exist.  Please don't try to go there or send things to the addresses I provide because they don't exist!  If someone out there desires to make an actual SlayerNet please contact me at beenieweenie@hotmail.com, put SlayerNet in the subject heading.  Thank you, please read and review.

SlayerNet

By beenieweenie

            September was fast approaching and the Scooby Gang was ready to settle down again.  The summer had been spent in Los Angeles at Angel's hotel where the Scoobies and the Fang Gang had been hard at work training the new slayers that had collected as potentials in Sunnydale over the past year.  Then, towards August came the task of setting all the new slayers up, in pairs, in cities around the world.  Somehow the Watcher's council had regrouped over the summer as well, and became an integral part in this last task.  Although barely enough watcher's remained to staff the new Watcher's HQ, they sent a large delegation to Los Angeles, where an agreement was drawn between the slayers and the watchers.  The watcher's were allowed to remain as advisors to the slayers, once there numbers were up again, but all their antiquated methods, like the Cruciamentum, were to be ceased immediately.  All in all, things went smoothly and by the last week of August the new Slayers were settled in their new homes around the world.  Then Buffy and Angel managed to come to the mutual agreement that it would be better if Buffy were located elsewhere so as not to crowd Los Angeles.  So, Dawn found herself moving again, along with Willow, Kennedy, Xander, Giles and of course Buffy.  Now they were going to Cleveland to watch over the Hellmouth there.

            It was on this nearly-transcontinental journey that the idea first blossomed in Dawn's mind.  Out of sheer boredom Dawn was alphabetizing the e-mail address list they had of all the slayers when it occurred to her that it would be much easier if all the addresses were from the same provider because then you'd only need all the user names.  After thinking about this for a while Dawn turned to Willow, who was sitting behind her in the van they were driving, and asked if she knew how to set up an e-mail service from scratch.  After Dawn described her idea in full Willow knew that the younger Summers had the start of a great idea.  Together they hashed out the rest of the details over the rest of the trip and the e-mail service expanded into a member's only site with an e-mail service and information archives and message boards.

            Once everyone was settling down in the house that had been bought in Cleveland Willow and Dawn held a house meeting to discuss the idea with the Scooby core.  It took a little persuasion to convince Giles that the idea would work but when they did Willow and Dawn got to work building the site, as they had been deemed the Web-Mistresses of the site.  Of course, school started for both of them, high school for Dawn and college courses through the mail for Willow, and their progress slowed a bit.  All in all it took close to three months for the site to be constructed, a server set up, and to come up with usernames for all the current slayers along with temporary passwords.  So it was on November 17th that SlayerNet went up.  Dawn had worked long and hard to write a suitable announcement to explain the idea of SlayerNet to all the slayers, watchers, and other miscellaneous people who had access to the site.  As she hit the post button and saw the announcement pop up on the main page she smiled and then quickly read once more, scanning it for errors.

November 17th, 2003—SlayerNet is now up and running.  As a general warning we would like to say that over these next few weeks we expect to run across various unexpected bugs and ask for your patience.  We will work as quickly as we can to correct these problems, but as this is a new and complicated site it may take some time.  If you see any bugs please report them to bugs@SlayerNet.net.  

SlayerNet has been provided for you all as a source of information and a way to contact others quickly.  The point is for it to make your lives easier when it comes to researching prophesies, demons, spells or fighting techniques.  An e-mail service has been provided so that you can keep in contact with your friends and acquaintances and there are also message boards set up for discussions of everything from different demons to your social life.  An archive has been set up with information on many different subjects, although it is still being filled, so please wait patiently if we don't have the information you need up yet.  Watchers also have the special privilege of adding information directly into the archives, although once again we ask that you wait until we are done filling it with what we already have so as to avoid having multiple entries.  In addition to these archives we are providing several columns that will be updated on a bi-monthly schedule, these include: "It's Not Just Watching" by Rupert Giles where he discusses the deeper calling of being a watcher; "Ask Buffy" by Buffy Summers, who answers the questions you have about slaying, you can send your questions to askbuffy@SlayerNet.net; and "On the Outside" by Willow Rosenburg, Xander Harris, and Dawn Summers, where all you non-slayers can figure out where you fit into things and occasionally ask questions too, send questions to outsiders@SlayerNet.net.  

Something that you should all take note of is that SlayerNet has only been set up for those who have need of it, i.e. slayers, watchers, and those privileged few who fall into neither of these categories but have been vouched for by the Web-Mistresses of the site.  Please don't share your username and password with others.  If you forget your password please send an e-mail to webmistressD@SlayerNet.net and if you run into someone you think might benefit from having access to this site please send their name, basic profile, e-mail address and a reason why to webmistressW@SlayerNet.net.  And please don't tell them about this, we'll contact them and we don't want them to get their hopes up in case we don't think they're suitable candidates.

I've asked for your patience several times by this point and I have to stress that we really do need it at this point.  This entire endeavor is new to everyone and there are going to be problems and it's going to take time to fix them, but hopefully once all that has past this site will be able to provide information necessary to aid you in your time of need.  Thank you for your patience and for your support,

                        Web-Mistress Dawn

            Satisfied, Dawn nodded once and then logged off SlayerNet to check her e-mail and work on some other things.  SlayerNet was up and things were looking good.

Author's Note:  There's the first part.  I can't tell you how giddy this makes me.  I'd also like to inform you as my readers that this endeavor will not read like a typical story and will be more of a thing of each chapter someone using SlayerNet or just a column I wrote.  There is no real plot planned at this point and there will be no 'ships, or anything of that nature at all.  This is going to be a singular experience for both you and me.  Thanks!


	2. Greetings, Fellow Slayer!

Disclaimer:  All characters and most of the big ideas belong to Joss and Mutant Enemy.  I do own the small ideas though, like SlayerNet and Kiera Flint (who will not be a recurring character, more than likely).

Author's Note:  Ok, so here's Chapter Two.  I'm currently looking for suggestions as to what kind of questions should be asked in the "Ask Buffy" column; please model them as if you're writing to Anne Landers, who was a better advice columnist than whoever took over when she died.  Also, as a review:  All the e-mail address and websites I use are fake!  I made them up, and if they are used, I apologize, I'm very sorry that I infringed on them.  Please, don't just e-mail the addresses though.

SlayerNet

By beenieweenie

Chapter Two

            Kiera Flint was bored.  Her homework was done, she was home alone, nothing was on TV and she didn't want to eat yet.  So, as any logical teenager would do, Kiera logged onto the internet and started surfing around, checking her e-mail as she did so.  _Lessee, thought Kiera, _37 junk mails…delete those.  Damn stupid horny porno freaks, why do they e-mail me? Idiots.  Oohh!  Look, 3 new e-mails in the inbox.  Okay, we can ignore the one from Mr. Tanner…probably complaining about my grades again…junk from Allison…what the hell is this other one?  And why is the subject "hello slayer"?__

Kiera clicked the third e-mail open and read it slowly.

To:  gyrlz@2die4.com

From:  webmistressW@SlayerNet.net

Subject:  Hello Slayer

Date:  Mon, Dec 8 9:45(GMT)

Greetings, Kiera Flint!

Welcome to the sisterhood of the Vampire Slayers.  We have discovered, using various spells, that you are, in fact, a vampire slayer.  Now, you may be wondering:  What is a vampire slayer?  Who are these people?  What is going on?  Are they talking about real vampires? And we can explain.

To start at the beginning we should discuss just what a vampire slayer is.  Up until recently she was one girl in all the world with the strength and skill to hunt vampires, but now there are more than one slayer and you happen to be one.  This is destiny, you can't deny it, but we don't require that you become an active slayer, but we'll get to that later.  And just to clear the air, vampires are real.  As are numerous other demons and monsters.  

Now, we represent the Watcher's Council as well as the Slayer Triad and we wish you to know of your heritage.  As it would take far too much time to actually explain everything in this e-mail, we have provided you with a username and password for SlayerNet, a special internet community just for Vampire Slayers.  Your username is KieraF and your password is D84J73MG.  Please come visit and explore our site at www.SlayerNet.net.

Sincerely,

            Willow Rosenburg

            SlayerNet Web-Mistress

            Wiccan Liaison to the Watcher's Council and Slayer's Triad

            Kiera reread the letter in disbelief and then, after writing down the password given, clicked on the link to SlayerNet.  Immediately a screen popped up with a two little boxes for a username and password and a small go button.  Kiera entered her username and password and hit the go button.  

Then the window linked into SlayerNet itself.  In the upper left-hand corner of the screen stood a girl twirling wooden baton-thing in her hand with the words SlayerNet underneath.  The page was segmented and there was an announcement area, a list of columns with names like "Ask Buffy" and "It's Not Just Watching", and a link to the message boards.  Kiera was very confused at this point, not sure what to click first.  Then she saw the link to SlayerNet e-mail and saw that it had a little (1) by the link.  Kiera knew this meant she had e-mail so she clicked the link and opened up her SlayerNet e-mail inbox.  A message marked as unread was there, its subject was "So Now What?"  _I can't believe I'm about to do this, Kiera thought as she opened the e-mail._

To:  KieraF@SlayerNet.net

From:  Buffy@SlayerNet.net

Subject:  So Now What?

Date:  Mon, Dec 8 10:23(GMT)

Dear Kiera,

I know you're at least shocked at this point.  It all seems like a load of bull.  Vampires aren't real.  Slayers are made up.  This is crazy.  Except that it isn't.  This is the truth, Kiera.  Vampires are real.  Slayers do exist and you are one of them.  

But how do we know?  All people give off auras, but slayers give off a special one.  Using magick we can locate different kinds of auras and then identify the people they belong to.  It takes a while and but we can do it.

Next you'll want to know how you can be sure.  Well that takes some thought on your part, Kiera.  Have you ever felt stronger or faster than the people around you?  Are your reflexes better than they used to be?  Have you had any strange dreams about other young female warriors?  Do you find your senses are heightened and you can tell when something creepy is around?  If you answered yes to all of these questions then you are a slayer, Kiera.

Kiera shivered and thought, _I can't believe this.  I never told anyone about those dreams.  And the other day I was the last one out in dodge ball, and I SUCK at dodge ball!_

I can't explain everything to you in this letter, but there are several articles that you can find in the archives here at SlayerNet that may help you.  Here's a list of them:  "The Mythos of the Slayer," "Real Vampires Can't Fly," and "How I Became a Better Slayer."  All of these articles have been written especially for girls who have just found out that they are slayers.  You can also talk to other girls on the message boards and read the columns; you might find "Ask Buffy" to be especially helpful.

Explore this site at your leisure, Kiera.  When, and if, you're ready to accept the responsibilities of a slayer send an e-mail to webmistressD@SlayerNet.net and she will get back to you on what the next steps in the journey are.  Just remember that you have the choice not to be a slayer and no one will think less of you if that's what you choose because we're the ones who gave you the choice.

            Sincerely,

            Buffy Summers

            Head of the Slayer Triad

            Slayer for 7 years and counting

Kiera shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.  She wanted to look at the articles that had been suggested, at least to get a better idea of what had happened.  She was about to link into the archives when she heard her doorbell ring.  Kiera logged off SlayerNet and ran to answer the door.

            Standing outside were her parents.  They'd been gone all weekend, but their bags were no where in sight.  They smiled and her mom said, "Hey sweetie!  How was your weekend?"

            Kiera looked at her parents, something was wrong but she couldn't place it.  "My weekend was ok.  You guys really should come in, it's cold outside."

            Her parents smiled again and walked slowly through the door.  Kiera shivered, though she wasn't cold.  After she shut the door Kiera turned to look at her parents, but they were gone and only monsters stood in their place.  Their faces were bumpy and wrong and fangs occupied their open mouths.  Kiera gasped and they two fell onto her, latching onto her.  As her what had been her father held her tightly, her former mother bit into her neck.  Kiera struggled, and though she could weaken the monsters' grasps, she couldn't escape it.  Kiera'a former father leaned down and whispered throatily, "Now you die slayer!"

            Then he bit into her neck as well.  Kiera gasped in pain and tried not to cry.  As everything slipped lazily away Kiera thought, _I guess those people were telling the truth…_

Author's Note:  Wasn't that just evil?  I know it was and I cackle in joy from it!  *Evilly Cackles* But seriously, I really wanted to avoid keeping the character.  I love reviews though!


	3. Bugs

Disclaimer:  I do NOT own any Buffy characters or ideas taken from the show.  All that great stuff belongs to Joss and Mutant Enemy.  I simply write borrow the characters for short periods of time to use them in my stories.  SlayerNet is mine though, you can't have it.

Author's Note:  I'm still looking for a few questions that the new slayers might want to ask Buffy for the "Ask Buffy" column.  Thanks for your feedback and help!

SlayerNet

By beenieweenie

Chapter Three

            Willow was having a tough time.  The classes she was taking were proving to be a challenge and the occult store that the Scooby core owned and operated was going through a tricky stage of trying to gain respect among suppliers and customers alike, and on top of that SlayerNet was proving to have more bugs than they had initially anticipated.  It had been up for close to a month now and she was still averaging three e-mails relating to bugs a day, though many of these were repeat notices from different people.

            Currently Willow was attempting to write a conclusive political analysis of the current relations between the United States, the Arab Nations, and the rest of the world in response to actions taken in Iraq.  It proved to be a much broader topic than she had originally anticipated, with many smaller problems adding to the larger one.  Willow shoved the papers she'd been working on away, into a pile of inventory lists for the store.  Flipping her laptop open Willow logged into SlayerNet and checked the account for new bugs sighted.  She groaned when she saw that there were 5 new messages.

            Scanning the subjects quickly Willow saw that three of them were reports of bugs that had already been reported and were currently being fixed.  That left two that were potentially new bugs.  Willow opened the first of these two reports.

To:  bugs@SlayerNet.net

From:  RGiles@SlayerNet.net

Subject:  Archives Links Not Working.  Again.

Date:  Fri, Dec 19 15:42(GMT)

Willow sighed again.  Of all the parts of SlayerNet the archives were proving to be the biggest problem.  They were supposed to be helpful, but generally just linked to each other wrong, didn't load properly and got lost in the lines of programming.

Willow-

These bloody machines aren't working!  I have been inundated by watchers e-mailing me and saying that they couldn't even pull up the basic files, i.e. "The Mythos of the Slayer," "Real Vampires Can't Fly," and "How I Became a Better Slayer."  

It's frustrating to say the least that we can't even use the most basic of the archives as reference.  Please try and fix the archives as soon as possible.

Many thanks,

Giles

Willow grabbed a notepad and wrote in big caps FIX ARCHIVES, ALL OTHER BUGS ON HALT FOR NOW.  Then she turned back to the computer screen and clicked to the next letter.

To:  bugs@SlayerNet.net

From:  MegR@SlayerNet.net

Subject:  I can't use this!

Date:  Fri, Dec 19 21:18(GMT)

Umm…I'm not sure who reads this, but here's my problem.  My dad's an army officer and right now we're stationed in Japan on an army base.  All computer activity is monitored by base command and every time I log into SlayerNet the computer invariably kicks me off after about three minutes.  I don't have much time left, but I think the problem may be that base command can't get into the site and so shuts me out as a safety precaution.  Can you fix this?  E-mail me back at turningJapanese@yahoo.com.

Meg

Willow wrote another note under the first on her notepad:  HACK A BACKDOOR FOR ARMY GIRLS.  Then she pulled out her other list of bugs to fix and read down the list:  GET MESSAGE BOARDS SORTED OUT; REFORMAT ARCHIVES AND RELOAD THEM; FIX LINKS TO SITES OUTSIDE SLAYERNET; FIND NEW WAY TO ROUTE ARCHIVES FILES; STOP ARCHIVES FROM CRASHING UPON USE; CORRECT USERNAME PROBLEMS; REDO USER INTERFACE FOR ARCHIVES; TALK TO BUFFY ABOUT GETTING RILEY ACCESS; FIND A WAY TO KEEP ARCHIVES ARCHIVED; LOCATE MISSING ARCHIVES FILES.  And now Willow added FIX ARCHIVES, ALL OTHER BUGS ON HALT FOR NOW, and HACK BACKDOOR FOR ARMY GIRLS to her list.

            Willow sighed loudly and then pulled up the programming for the archives and began to revise and rewrite them.  It was going to take a while to get SlayerNet working properly.

Author's Note:  Alright, this chapter was shorter than the others, but it was still fun right?  Also, I must stress that I have no idea where some of the e-mail addresses I'm using will lead.  Please DO NOT write to any of these addresses!  If you do, and I hear about it I will sic my Blarog on you!  And you DON'T want to mess with my Blarog!


End file.
